Austin is as diverse as the honors that have been given to this Texas city. Know as the “best place for business and careers,” it was also bestowed the “live music capital of the world.” It was voted the “best city for relocating families” as well as the “best city for singles.” While some might see these awards and accolades as contradictory, to those who call Austin home, it proves what they have know all along, Austin is a great place for anyone to call home.

The city of Austin is located on the Colorado River, separating the Texas hill country from the Blackland prairies. The region has a warm and humid climate with summer’s highs reaching upwards of 95 degrees Fahrenheit and winter’s lows 37 degrees. Given its mild climate, Austin and outdoor entertainment go hand-in-hand. The city is just minutes from parks, lakes and golf courses all waiting to be explored and play on. In addition, the area is home to the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve as well as the invigorating Barton Springs, a 1,000 foot long, spring fed pool, with a year round temperature of 68 degrees.

Austin and its surrounding communities are home to 1.5 million people. The largest growth came in the 1990’s, which saw a population increase of 48 percent. This could be due to the area’s low cost of living and the fact that it provides a favorable business climate based on its low tax burden. Austin, like the rest of Texas, has no personal or corporate income tax. In addition, its low local and state taxes have allowed the state to rank 45th in the US in taxes paid per $1,000 of personal income

Austin is a hotbed of economic activity. The area’s largest employers include Dell Computers, IBM and AT&T. The city was also noted as one of the top four “Boom Towns” in a 2004 survey of 318 U.S. metropolitan areas conducted by Business 2.0. In addition, Austin was ranked among the top 12 biotech and life science centers in the nation by the Milken Institute. Helping Austin with this designation are the following organizations:

Abbott Spine

Ambion

CEDRA Corp

Encore Medical

Esoterix

Hospira

Introgen Therapeutics

LDR Spine

PDD Development

Stryker

Viagen

Austin and its surrounding communities are as diverse as the individuals who call them home. Central Austin is an eclectic mix of condo developments and historic Victorian or craftsman architecture. East Austin offers a mix of old and new master planned communities featuring homes centered around community services, parks, schools and shopping facilities, while the far northwest side of the city is home to some of the newest and most elegant master planned communities, complete with large lots, and an abundance of lake property. And since the median home price in Austin is only $173, 700 purchasing properties in these neighborhoods can be is quite affordable.

The Austin Newcomer Guide is a perfect place for realtors to showcase their services to potential homebuyers and sellers. In addition, the chamber website (www.austinchamber.com) offers links to many of the area’s property listings. Print advertising sources include daily newspapers, the Austin American-Statesman or the Austin Chronicle. In addition, there are several weekly publications as well as local magazines, such as Austin Home & Living, Homes and Land of Austin and Austin Monthly Magazine.